Filter element



Nov. 29, 1955 E, G, sMn-H ETAL FILTER ELEMENT I5 Sheets-Sheet l FiledMay 14, 1953 NOV- 29, 1955 E. G. SMITH ET AL 2,725,144

FILTER ELEMENT Filed May 14, 195s s sheets-sheet 2 U F3n VL Nov. 29,1955 E. G. sMn-H ET AL FILTER ELEMENT 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 'Filed May 14,195s Y \\Q muuuuuuny 62 63 fan/wm 63 @7L-QL M Coccf//A/@ELM FILTERELEMENT Edmund G. Smith, Cedar Grove,y and Otel! M. Cocchiarella,Verona, N. J.,v` assignors to Equipment Development Co., Inc.,lMontclair, N. l,- a corporation ofNewJer'sey l Application May 14,1953,.Serial No. 354,992l

1 Claim. (Ci. 210.-170) i and into the tube, as well as for the flow ofreturn liquid for removing the lter cake Vfromthe cloth. A

Another object is to provide a spacer construction whichy is readilyassembled, is suited to ltration and thickening equipment having variedcharacteristics and is unaffected by hot liquids or corrosiveliquids.-

Various other objects and advantages will-bel apparent as the nature ofthe inventionk is morefully disclosed.

The invention will be better understood from the following description,taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which certainspecic embodiments thereof have been set forth for' purposes ofillustration.

ln the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a broken side elevationy of a filter tube embodying theinvention; i

Fig. 2 is a partial vertical section taken on the hne 2 2 of Fig. 1, buton a'larger scale;

Fig. 3 is a partial vertical section', taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1,but on a larger scale;

Fig. 4 is a transverse section',V taken on the line 4-4 of Figs. l and 3showin'g'the'construction of the spacer;

Fig. 5' is a side elevationN of the spacer;

Fig. 6 is a top plan viewthereof; l

Fig. 7 is a broken vertical' section illustrating another embodiment ofthe invention; and

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary perspective view of the spacer.

Referring to the drawings more in detail, the invention is shown asapplied to a thickening tube of the type shown in our Patent No.2,578,636, dated December l1, 1951, wherein a plurality of thickenertubes carrying filter cloths are suspended from a header into the liquidto be thickened and are oscillated laterally during the thickeningoperation so as to facilitate the discharge of the ilter cake from thecloth. The thickening cycle includes a liltering period when suction isapplied to the tube to draw ltrate through the cloth and into theheader, followed by a blow back" period when the flow of filtrate isreversed suddenly and for a short time only to dislodge the filter cakefrom the cloth and thus prevent the cloth from clogging and reducing theltering eiciency.

In accordance with the present invention, a tube 10 is carried in anelbow housing 11 having flanges 12 for attachment to a header of thetype shown in said Patent No. 2,578,636 and with sight glasses 13.

The tube 10 carries near its upper end a ring 15 carrying clampingscrews 16 onto which clamping nuts 17 are threaded. The nuts 17 engage aclamping ring 18 cooperating with a xed ring 19 which may be Welded tothe tube 10.

At its lower end (Fig. 3), the tube 10 carries a plug 2li which iswelded thereto and has an axial threaded .2,725,144 Patented Nov.v 29,.1955 ICC stud 21 projecting downwardlyl beyondth'e end of 4-the tube 10.A plate 22-is threaded onto the stud'21 and is are disposed about thetube 10 between the top ring 19 andthe bottom plate 22. Each ring spacer30 comprises an annular peripheral wall 31having va plurality of axialribs 32 on theoutside formingv channels 33 therebetween,

anda plurality of internalradial ribs 34 shaped to engage' the' outersurface of the tube 10 and forming longitudinal channels 35therebetween. The inner surface of the Wall 31' is arched as at 36between the internal ribs 34 so as to support the wa-ll31 against thepressure of the liquid on the outside of the tube.

The top surface of each spacer 30 is provided with radial grooves 36a inalignment with certain of the ribs 32 and' radial flanges 37 projectfrom the under surface of the spacer to' register with the grooves 36afor positioning a stack of spacers v30 relative to each other with thechannels"33 and 35 of the stack in alignment. The flanges 37 are longerthan the grooves 36a so that an annular space is provided betweensuccessive spacers in the stack.

In assembling the spacers the stackis pushed up around the tube 10 fromthe bottom into engagement with the ring'19, the gasket 25 is placedaroundy the stud 21, and the bottom plateV 22 is' screwed into place tosupport the stack'.

v An under screen 40, such as woven Saran or other synthetic plastic, iswrapped` around the spacers in a single layer with a short overlap atthe meetinglongit'udinal edges and' isl secured by 's'pot welding. theoverlapped edges as' by application of sulicient heat to soften thethermoplastic material and cause the same to adhere together. Alcontinuous sleeve is thus formed which extends beyond the plates 19 and22v at the top and bottom respectively and is tightly drawn around thespacers 30.

A filter cloth 41' preformed into'a` sleeve with a' narrow side'A seam-`and made from a fabric of ythe type disclosed in-PatentlNo. 2,551,175dated May l, 1951, is now drawn into place over the underscreen 40 withends also overlapping the plates 19 and 22.

The upper end of the underscreen 40 and sleeve 41 is folded inwardly ina top llange 42 above the plate 19 and is clamped by a soft gasket 43 ofrubber or synthetic compressible material which is held in an annulargroove in the underside of the clamping plate 18 (Fig. 2). Screws 16exert clamping pressure to form a tight seal around its entireperiphery.

At the lower end the screen 40 and cloth 41 are folded below the plate22 in a flange 45 which fits in a groove in a gasket 46 of rubber orsynthetic compressible material held in an annular groove in theclamping plate 23. The flange 4S is tightly clamped between the gasket46 and the plate 22 by the nut 24 to form a seal around the entireperiphery of the tube 10.

The lower spacer ring or rings 30 are formed with holes 50 to increasethe flow of liquid and the lower end of the tube 10 is formed with holes51 through which the liltrate liows to the interior of the tube. A venthole 52 is formed near the top of the tube 10 to provide an air lockfrom forming in the spacer channels and interteringl with the returnflow of liquid for the purpose specified.

The space between ring sections 30 is such that the resistance to liquidow is greater than along the channels 35, the purpose being to equalizethe flow along the channels. The filtrate ilows through the cloth 41 andscreen 40 into the channels 33, thence between the ring sections 30 intothe larger channels 35, thence downwardly and through the holes 51 intothe interior of the tube 10 whence itis drawn upwardly by the suction inthe header. On reverse iiow the liquid flows outwardly through the holes51 and produces pressure against the inside of the iilter cloth 41 fordischarging the lter cake as described in said Patent No. 2,578,636. Theholes 51, channels 33 and 35 and the spacing between sections 30 is suchthat a rate of return flow in excess of the average rate'of liquidremoval during the ltering period can be obtained without excessive headof liquid which would tend to tear the cloth. Y

The cloth 41 can be removed and replaced when necessary by loosening thenut 24 at the bottom and the screws 16 at the top to relieve thepressure on the clamping platesZZ and 16. The cloth 41 can' ordinarilybe removed without disturbingrthe underscreen 40 which serves as asupport therefor.

The embodiment shown in Figs. l to 3 is suited for use with metal tubes.For use with tubes made of synthetic plastic material, for example, fortreating acids or other corrosive liquids, the lter cloth and spacersmay be supported as in Fig. 7. in this form the tube a is similar to thetube 10 of Figs. 1 to 3, but is made of a plastic material. The spacers30 are the same as previously described, but are held between a xed ring`60 of rubber or the like which may be cemented or otherwise securedabout the tube 10a at the top, and a similar ring 61 at the bottom whichis held in place by a ange 62 of a plug 63 threaded into the tube 10aand forming a bottom closure therefor.

The underscreen 64, which is similar to the underscreen 40 of Figs. l to3 has its top ange 65 folded in a recess in the top ring'60, between thering 60 'and the upper spacer 30, and has its bottom ange 66 folded in arecess in the ring 61, between the ring 61 and the bottom spacer 30 soas to form top and bottom seals and to hold the screen 64 in place. Theouter sleeve of filter cloth 67, which is similar to the lter lcloth 41of Figs. 1 to 3, extends over the outer peripheries of the rings 60 and61 and is secured by a wrapped cord 68 of plastic material, such asnylon, Saran or the like, which may be cemented if necessary.

in this form, the lter cloth 67 is removable by unwrapping the cords 68and sliding the( cloth sleeve from the tube, leaving the screen 64 andother elements in place.

This method of fastening the cloth sleeve may, of course, be usedwithvmetal tubes if desired. Also, in the embodiment of Figs. l to 3 thescreen 40 can be clamped between the top plate 19 and the top spacerring 30, and between the plate 22 and the bottom spacer ring 30 ifdesired so that it remains secured when the lter cloth 41 is removed byloosening the clamping ring 15 and the clamping plate 23.

Obviously, the spacers 30 may all be formed with holes for the flow ofliquid into the inner channels 55 if additional passages are required.

The spacers 30, as herein described, provide for a uniform flow of-iiltrate to andV from the entire area of the iilter cloth 41 as isnecessary for obtaining the maximum filtration eiiiciency. The channels35 should have a capacity in excess of that of the channels 33 and equalto the capacity of the tube 10 so that the flow through the cloth 41 andthe reverse ow from the tube 10 is unimpeded thereby.

Although specific embodiments have been shown for purposes ofillustration, it is tobe understood that adaptations may be made thereinas will be apparent to a person skilled in the art.

What is claimed is:

VIn a filter'having a tube to receive filtrate and a lter cloth disposedaround said tube, spacers disposed around said tubes to support saidcloth in spaced relationship therefrom, said spacers comprising aplurality of annular rubberlike members disposed in a stack around saidtube, each member having a cylindrical peripheral surface, inwardlyextending radial ns spacing said peripheral surface -from said tube andforming with said peripheral surface a plurality of inner longitudinalchannels spaced around said tube, and outwardly extending radial iinssupporting said iilter cloth and forming with said cylindrical wallouter longitudinal channels spaced around said cylindrical wall, saidsections having end surfaces formed respectively with interlocking angesand grooves spacing said sections apart to form communicating liquidpassages between said inner and outer channels.

References Cited in the iile of this patent UNITED-STATES PATENTS746,378 Redfield Dec. 8, 1903 1,663,298 Geer et al. Mar. 20, 19281,705,848 Austin Mar. 19, 1929 2,057,814 Barrett Oct. 20, 1936 2,600,150Abendroth June 10, 1952

